The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating reports this week of someone posing as an employee to extort money from residents.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating reports this week of someone posing as an employee to extort money from residents.

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Updated: 6:17 PM CDT Aug 26, 2015

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WEBVTT NEWSCAST AND ONLINE AT WDSU.COM.CAMILLE: COURT HOUSE OFFICIALSIN NEW ORLEANS ARE ON HIGHALERT, WARNING PEOPLE OF A SCAMTHAT INVOLVES POTENTIAL JURORS.THE MATTER HAS BEEN REFERRED TOTHE NOPD AND COPS AREINVESTIGATING.SCOTT: WDSU NEWS REPORTERTRAVERS MACKEL IS LIVE WITH WHOTHE MAN IS POSING AS AND WHATHE'S OFFERING, IT'S A STORY ALLNEW AT 6:00.THE PERSON IS PREYING ONPOTENTIAL JURORS AND COPS SAYSTHEY TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY.EACH DAY DOZENS OF POTENTIALJURORS ENTER ORLEANS PARISHCRIMINAL COURT THROUGH THISENTRANCE AND THE COURT SAYS SOMEARE BEING TARGETED BYCON-ARTISTS.THE JUDGES HERE AT CIVILCOURT ARE ALSO AWARE OF THESITUATION AND SAY IT'S A SCAM,COPS SAY A PERSON IS POSING AS ASHERIFF'S DEPUTY AND CALLINGPEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER POTENTIALJURORS OR WHO MISSED A NOTICE,TELLING THEM IF THEY PAYHIM$2800, HE CAN GET THEM OUT OFTHE PENALTY OR JURY DUTY.BUT COPS SAY IT'S A SCAM.IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, SHERIFFMARLIN GUSMAN SAYS, "THISINDIVIDUAL IS CONTACTINGCITIZENS CLAIMING THEY MISSEDJURY DUTY IN AN ATTEMPT TOEXTORT MONEY FROM THEM.THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELYLAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INCOOPERATION WITH THE NEW ORLEANSPOLICE DEPARTMENT AND ORLEANSPARISH CRIMINAL COURT.AT THIS TIME, WE BELIEVE THAT NOSHERIFF'S OFFICE EMPLOYEES AREINVOLVED IN THIS CRIMINALACTIVITY."IT'S VERY SERIOUS AND CAN BECONSIDERED JURY TAMPERING, SOIT'S VERY SERIOUS.LEGAL ANALYST ROBERT JENKINSSAYS THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE CANBE TRACKED DOWN USING PHONERECORDS.IT'S BELIEVABLE, BECAUSE HE'SIDENTIFYING HIMSELF AS SOMEONEIN AUTHORITY AND HAS MORE ANDPEOPLE ARE LIKE WHAT CAN YOU DOTO HELP ME.FIRST DISTRICT DETECTIVESWERE AT THE COURTHOUSE TODAYINVESTIGATING THIS MATTER.AND ONCE AGAIN, COPS SAYS YOUCANNOT PAY ANYONE TO BE REMOVEDFROM JURY DUTY AND PEOPLE SHOULDAVOID GIVING ANYONE MONEY IFTHEY RECEIVE A CALL ABOUT THIS